He is a Starfleet officer – Lt. Ash Tyler – who we meet as a prisoner of war. So he comes back onto the ship. He has gone through a lot of horrible, horrible things. He tries to find some normality as he comes back onto the ship. Which he might or might not.

A character in pain

Latif also confirmed that the show would deal with the kinds of issues that can come up for those who have deal with being mistreated in prison:

Yeah [PTSD] is explored in ways. I don’t know how much I can say. It is a very complex and painful and deep character. Hopefully I have done it justice.

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Matt

i’m guessing this is not the same Lt. Tyler from “The Cage”?

July 24, 2017 11:49 pm

Kevin Bleasdale

i think he was called José Tyler

July 25, 2017 1:46 am

Paul

Okay, this strikes me as weird once again. What’s up with all those clearly ethnic people bearing stereotypical Anglo-Saxon names? Or, in the case of Georgiou, bearing a stereotypical name of a completely different ethnicity? Yes, Americans have mixed-up names like that; the rest of the world, not so much. In Greece, when you meet a “Georgiou”, it’s more likely a Greek person, than an Asian person. In Arabic countries, when you meet someone looking like Shazad Latif, he’s more likely to be named Abdul or Samir (or, well, Shazad), not “Ash” (let alone “Tyler”).

So does it mean this is not a world-wide crew anymore? Is the damn show filled with nobody but Americans and aliens? A show advertising its diversity has a crew that’s actually less diverse than any Star Trek show before it? When a show touts “diversity” as its flag, I’d be expecting to see characters that are Russians, Chinese, Finnish, Uyghur, Vietnamese, Polish, Maori. Instead, all I get is Americans – and one Indian (?) with a name so obscure that Google keeps confusing it for another word (hello, doctor Numbers… I mean, Name… I mean, Nambue).

July 25, 2017 12:38 am

Kevin Bleasdale

stop whinging

July 25, 2017 1:43 am

Captain Whino

Stop Telling People how to think & what to say just because it isn’t how you see things.
This site is for all Star Trek Fans, general or purists to talk or whine or debate- its not a Paramount/CBS owned promotional tool.

July 25, 2017 1:53 am

Captain Whino

They are trying to make Star Trek an America at war series, because that’s what America is at the moment, culturally. That’s what’s Popular.
Look at Game of Thrones, a bunch of white people & monsters.
Why are you acting Surprised.
Star Trek has been philosophically under attack for years, ever since 9/11.

July 25, 2017 1:51 am

Shilliam Watner

[They are trying to make Star Trek an America at war series, because that’s what America is at the moment, culturally]

True, and we are still at the moment fighting The War on Terrorism. Who commits 99% of terrorist attacks? Technically Muslims!

I was talking about who we are fighting against in the official War on Terrorism, Muslims. They are committing terrorism all over, especially in Europe.

July 25, 2017 1:24 pm

PEB

I slightly disagree with that comment Captain Whino. It’s the least explored aspect of Trek. You read the encyclopedia and so much on Memory Alpha and there were these major conflicts that were said to have happened or alluded to yet never fully explored. Enterprise slightly touched on the great dramatic themes that come with war, as did DS9 which I was very proud of them doing. It’s very Star Trek in the most Star Trek of ways to talk about and show issues that we are going through globally. It’s never just been America at war, you’ll get an episode or two that would touch on the people affected by these conflicts – the innocent bystander that has to figure out how to navigate through these wars. Some Trekkies have aren’t fond of the war stories but even in TOS, the war/conflict episodes were written well.

July 25, 2017 9:38 am

Steph

Good points. The prisoner of war concept was only discussed in a limited capacity. Most notably, for me anyways, was the DS9 episodes In Purgatory’s Shadow and Inferno’s light. It was also brought up in Inquistion. It was not however a major topic of discussion. This could be an interesting storyline considering a POW would have an unique perspective on the Klingons in every war including the possibility of peace. So I look forward to seeing and hearing more about his character as he progress over the run of the show.

July 25, 2017 12:02 pm

JAGT

Marketability, I presume. “Diversity? – By all means. But no Arab names, please!”
Or it’s a “been there, done that”-thing, since there already has been a character with a distinctly Arab surname on DS9…

Or maybe “Ash” is actually short for “Ashraf”.

July 25, 2017 3:21 am

Phil

I agree with the sentiment. Whilst I agree that USA has a rightful place on the show given its heritage, as a Celt I am immensely proud that an Irishman and Scotsman have plaid a significant role in Star Trek. As a marginalised people throughout history on these islands (Ireland and UK), I am greatful that my people made it that far in the future. I think in discovery the role of Mudd could have been Irish or scots.

I get Paul’s point, to have an “ethnic” looking, yet American sounding, seems only a half way attempt at being diverse.

On another note, why was Picard French, when he was so classically English?

July 25, 2017 12:41 pm

JayMac

Well the actor himself is half English born and raised in London. If it had been his dad who was English he’d have, as you so inartfully put it, “an American sounding name”. By that I assume you mean English or Anglo-Saxon sounding.

The racism and ignorance on this thread is ridiculous.

September 10, 2017 3:17 pm

Trek fan 67

Seriously? You’re nitpicking the names??

July 25, 2017 8:05 pm

jonboc

“..a very complex and painful and deep character.”

Sheesh. Is this series going to be completely void of fun? So far it looks like angst ridden soap opera. I’ve seen corny Star Trek, boring Star Trek, funny Star Trek, highly creative and imaginative Star Trek, thought provoking Star Trek…but I’ve yet to see a Star Trek so depressing that it made me want to slit my wrist when it was over. Is this going to be Star Trek for the Xanax generation? Sure looks like it.

July 25, 2017 6:26 am

TUP

Its interesting. So is he a Klingon POW?

July 25, 2017 7:28 am

Bamasi

If so, I guess the whole “Klingon’s don’t take prisoners” bit is no longer cannon. Worrisome.

July 25, 2017 8:20 am

CaptainSheridan

Not cannon— Kirk says it. Kirk was not speaking the truth or was simply ignorant. We’ve seen Klingons take prisoners- they even have prison cells waiting to receive prisoners (see DS9 Apocopypse Rising) + also see Star Trek VI.

July 25, 2017 8:39 am

Disinvited

CaptainSheridan,

Re: Kirk was not speaking the truth or was simply ignorant.

I’ve always attributed it to the Meyer Kirk’s Klingon bigotry. But I suppose it’s possible he was referring to the Klingons in the simulation’s limitations which itself may have been modeled after some lone Klingon Elite Expeditionary force known for this?

July 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Planet Pandro

I’m pretty sure Kor took prisoners in “Errand of Mercy”, Kang was trying to take Kirk and crew hostage in “Day of the Dove”. Kruge shot his gunner because he destroyed the Grissom (“I wanted Prisoners!”) before rounding up Saavik, Spock and David in STIII. Klingons always took prisoners, it’s that quote itself that defies the canon.

July 25, 2017 8:40 am

Kennelly

I doubt Kirk didn’t know what he was talking about, he just wanted to press home on Saavik the futility of her situation in Kobayashi Maru.

July 25, 2017 1:34 pm

Disinvited

Bamasi,

I doubt it ever letrally was. Certainly not beyond establishing that prejudice and bigotry were still alive and well bandied in Trek’s future setting.

KLINGON: I swear. No one was at fault. The guards, ten of them were constantly on duty watching the cell. Then when they opened it to give them food, they simply weren’t there, and there was no way out.

July 25, 2017 1:40 pm

Disinvited

“letrally” should be “literally”

July 25, 2017 1:53 pm

Mel

They definitely try to make DIS as dark and depressive as possible. War, death and destruction everywhere. Everything is bleak and devoid of fun and light. It is the opposite of a positive future.